One day in April, before the summer arrives and it becomes unbearably hot, a group of kids in Mah Shahr, Khuzestan, gather to play football. Later in the year, games will be more difficult: the oil-rich province regularly reaches temperatures of more than 40 degrees Celsius during the summer months. The city rents the pitch to the teams, charging an hourly rate. Some of the players, who are aged between 10 and 15, wear football attire, but some play in slippers and everyday clothing.
Football has a substantial following in the region, and local teams, including Foolad FC, perform well on a national level.
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